


Dis-Tressed

by Papertigress



Category: Inuyasha - Fandom
Genre: Non-Nuclear Family, Not Particularly Romantic, Other, Rinn takes charge, Slow Build, hair fetish, obakemono
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2015-09-05
Updated: 2016-04-23
Packaged: 2018-04-19 03:58:07
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 7
Words: 11,531
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/4732052
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Papertigress/pseuds/Papertigress
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Rin is found gore spattered and alone, Sesshoumaru doesn't reappear and Kagome makes a strange new... friend. Romance may or may not take a part in future. The garnering of respect and development of several relationships, however, will.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> Cross posting from my Fanfiction account where I am "melanippos".

~Chapter 1 ~

Kagome had been heading for the stream for water.  
Had been.  
She now stood distracted on the edge of a new glade, torn recently from the closed forest that surrounded it. The debris blocked her view in parts but she knew that the damage had been done recently. The last time they had camped near here, surely less than a month ago, the forest had been all but impenetrable.  
The new glade consisted of churned ground and the remains of claw marked tree trunks, the sparse undergrowth torn up by some fierce battle. That the sap from the shattered trunks was dry and most of the leaves well-withered indicated the event was several days passed but Kagome still began to back away.  
There was a tremor through the foliage of a bush near her and Kagome jumped like a hare.  
Half hidden beneath the leaves, curled up and trembling was a tattered orange and yellow checked kimono. The garment was gore spattered, dry crusted patches stiffened the fabric in place.  
Rinn!  
Alarmed Kagome crouched down wrestled the child out from under the bush. The child's clothing was in a fetid state, the blood flaked off the fabric as it moved and her face was speckled with the brown of dried blood and dirt. Kagome urgently ran her hands over the child's head, searching for signs of injury beneath Rinn's thick hair, over her limbs and torso.  
"Are you hurt anywhere Sweetie?"  
The child shook her head but continued sobbing, eyes shut tightly, though her hands now clutched at Kagome's skirts  
The older girl pushed up the child's sleeve where the blood was especially thick. The skin was unbroken but a series of livid bruises were developing in the shape of finger marks - distinctly shaped enough that Kagome could see it had been a left hand. The blood had only seeped through the outer layer of the kimono Rinn wore, inside was still, in terms of blood, clean.  
"Rin-chan?" Kagome gave the child a gentle shake, trying to rouse her from catatonic state. "Can you tell me what happened?"  
The child whimpered, shaking harder. Then vomited, briefly and very little.  
Kagome rubbed the child's back, painfully aware of the girl's bones through the cloth. Using the corner of her cardigan she wiped the child's mouth before gathering her into her arms as best she could and striking out for where the others were camped – the kettle left behind, forgotten.

~o0o~


	2. Chapter 2

 

 **Disclaimer:** I do hereby disclaim all rights and responsibilities for the characters in this story. Rumiko Takahashi created them.

 

~Chapter 2~

 

"I'm sure Sesshoumaru-dono will come and find you soon.." Kagome offered lamely.

The child continued staring into the fire, hunched under the fuzzy blanket Kagome had wrapped her in earlier in the evening.

The mood remained somber. The degree of shock exhibited by the child and the apparently forced absence of a taiyoukai with her guardian's strength left all of the party feeling uneasy.

Shippo was doubly distressed for when Kagome had brought the child back to camp Rinn had flinched from his presence

Inuyasha had begun to bluster when she had first returned. Then he had caught Kagome's expression and actually Looked at the child. He had shut his trap abruptly and stormed off to look for food and, ostensibly, his half brother.

Rinn's eyes remained wide and unseeing, she did not respond to any questions, though Sango had managed to coax the child to drink some of the meat broth made by from their left over supper.

The expression on Inuyasha's face, when he returned, indicated that he'd found the glade, but had no news, good or otherwise, of her guardian.

Wordlessly it was agreed not to bring the matter up in the child's hearing. Though the evening was mild and Kagome had draped yet another blanket over Rinn’s shoulders the child still shivered occasionally.

Late in the evening the adults gathered closer, away from the fire.

"There was no sign of the Bastard outside that glade. His stink is all through the place but it stops at the tree line. Then there's nuff’n.”

"What do we do about Rinn?”

"Not much we can do"

"We could have another look in daylight…"

"You don't trust my nose?"

"I didn't say that…"

~o0o~

Kagome woke from a fitful sleep. The moon was high and the fire had died back to mere embers. Clouds cast trailing shadows over the ground and all seemed at peace.

She glanced across their campsite. All was as it always was, everyone in their usual place… but her sleep fuzzed mind insisted something was missing.

Kagome's eyes flickered over the empty blanket crumpled a little too close to the fire….

Rinn was no longer in sight...

 

~o0o~

'How did she learn to move so quietly?!' Kagome thought as she threshed through the undergrowth, glad she now slept in practical clothes. Changing to and from pajamas was a habit that she had abandoned over a year ago.

The amount of sound she was making as she hastened after the pale figure of Rinn had surely woken the rest of the party.

The irony of her not waking the others but going straight after Rinn on her own so as to not startle the child into flight was certainly not lost on Kagome now as she stumbled loudly through another thicket.

Finally she caught up with the child and was relieved to see the blankness had vanished from the girl's eyes. Now they were fixed ahead and Rinn was walking with grim purpose.

Kagome jogged forward to stand in front of the child.

"Rinn-chan. Sweetie – you shouldn't wander off. It's not safe…"

Rinn looked at the older girl squarely, her young face determined.

"Rinn must find Sesshoumaru-sama this time Kagome-nee-san. Jaken-sama and Ah-Un too.."

Kagome's mouth opened and closed a few times and she glanced back in the direction of the campsite where support and security of numbers remained.

When she turned back she found the child had silently side stepped her and continued on without her. Surprised by the unexpected stubborn streak from a child who had always seemed so malleable and eager to please Kagome could only chase after Rinn, flapping her hands impotently.

"Rinn-chan – if we go back the others will help you find for Sesshoumaru-Dono and keep you safe too…"

Rinn’s silence and steady tread answered that compromise with a disregard surely learned from her guardian. Kagome wilted and followed.

She briefly contemplated carrying the child back the way they'd come but quickly dismissed it. Rinn was larger than Shippo and she sensed the child would not abandon her task easily. They were some distance from the camp now… in fact Kagome wasn't entirely sure she knew the way back, even with the moon as bright as it was.

And then they were back at the clearing where Kagome had found Rinn. Luminescent fungi had sprouted on the fallen trunks where decay had set in, casting an eerie glow into the shadowy areas around the edges of the clearing. Kagome shuddered and hastened to follow Rinn out into the open, where she had not dared step earlier in the day.

The ground was churned, torn and bloody, even in the monochromatic light. Acid bitten rocks slumped amidst charred fern tussocks.

The moonlight caught and glittered on fine strands of hair scattered in tufts across a part of the battle field. Blood was liberally splashed over the place.

A fragment of yellow sash was trampled into the mire and a lone boot lay nearby. Kagome suddenly felt very queasy and her imagination, somewhat hysterically, conjured an image of an irate Sesshoumaru glaring down at his bootless foot.

Kagome shook herself, slapped her cheeks and looked around for Rinn. The child was carefully collecting the scattered locks of hair and, with one last nervous glance at the boot, Kagome stooped and began to help.

The silky locks still hummed with youki and seemed to writhe resentfully beneath her fingers as her own reiki rebuffed it.

Rinn's own handful hung inert until she passed it to Kagome – the hair trembled beneath their collective grasp as it was transferred.

Kagome shivered. It was like holding a snake – one made of cool moonlight. Rinn’s touch had calmed her own handful of hair and it now coiled wearily over her wrist as if that last burst of youki in response to her touch had exhausted it. Self-consciously she smoothed it with a finger.

"Kagome-sama"

A tug at her skirt brought her attention back to the child. Whilst Kagome had stood distracted by the thick locks of Sesshoumaru's hair Rinn had been searched the ground, pointedly avoiding the most bloodied areas of the glade. She now returned with a stout, straight stick.

"Kagome-sama. Could you tie it for me? Sesshoumaru-sama's hair, to this."

Kagome stood non-plus with her hands full of hair. The silvery tresses had begun to writhe again slightly in her hands as Rinn presented the stick towards her.

Awkwardly Kagome tried to knot the silken thread around the branch. They slid contemptuously from her attempt. No wonder Sesshoumaru's hair never tangled…

"No. no. Kagome-sama – like this: " Rinn sketched a figure of eight twice in the air with her free hand.

Over, under, around. Doubling over itself in a silky skein , the ornate knot held in place now and Kagome brushed her hands, glad to be rid of the strangely live hair.

Rinn turned holding the stick carefully in front of her like a dowsing rod. Squaring her shoulders she stood in the middle of the glade and tossed the stick as high as she could in the air, chanting a short string of syllables as she did so.

The falling stick slowed, then stopped just above the ground, turning like a compass to point East, out of the glade.

"Sesshoumaru-sama is this way." Rinn picked up the stick as Kagome struggled to stop gaping.

"How did you learn that Rinn-chan?"

Rinn shrugged as though the ability to cast spells were commonplace. Perhaps they were for her. "Jaken-sama does it sometimes to follow Sesshoumaru-sama. He only has a few hairs though… and Rinn is not allowed to touch them." The child proffered the branch to Kagome. "Will you hold if for me please Kagome-sama?"

Tentatively Kagome took the branch, the tightly knotted hair relaxed and slid to loop over her wrist again, like a pet snake. But with the acceptance of the branch came a strong tug of direction.

_That way._

A pull from her core towards the direction the stick had indicated.

Kagome glanced at the younger girl – searching for some sign of guile – had Rinn knowingly asked the miko to hold the stick? It didn't seem so. Rinn grasped the miko's hand and tugged.

"Please Kagome-nee-sama…"

Casting a look back in the direction they had come Kagome let out an exasperated sigh.

Inuyasha and the others would find her soon enough. Its not like she hadn't left a blatant path of broken vegetation behind her… and some how she felt Sesshoumaru couldn't be too far away...

~o0o~


	3. Chapter 3

**Disclaimer :** All characters belong to their creators. No money has exchanged hands, well not in my direction at least.

****~Chapter 3~** **

Kagome sat by the sleeping child in the lee of a small abandoned and tumble-down shrine and sighed tiredly looking at the dark sky. The moon had set a short while ago and there was still no sign of Inuyasha and the other members of her party. Surely someone should have realised they weren't back yet. Any moment now...

Rinn had set their pace out of the glade and for the rest of the evening, her intent short legged trot had seemed tireless and ground eating. Always Eastwards. In areas where the trees obscured the moon's light the loop of hair on Kagome's wrist had glowed with a sickly pale incandescence that cast enough light for them to be certain of their footing but nothing more.

When the moon sank so too had Rinn, stumbling with fatigue. Kagome had put her jumper on the child and given her a shuffling piggyback onwards back out of the trees and onto a disused road where, fortune being an unlikely friend, she had found the remains of the shrine where they now rested.

 _I should have turned around and carried her back to camp,_ Kagome thought.

Though where "back" was now was anyone's guess. The only direction they had was forward, hopefully towards Sesshoumaru.

Kagome looked over at the face of thte weather smoothed Bodhisattsva that shared their shelter. His bib, colour lost in the predawn starligh, was time faded and worn to a threadbare colour near-white by past weather.

"You and Me both could do with a few riceball offerings ne O-Jizo-san*.”

The stone statue continued to look benignly out onto the road. The small pile of stones at his feet cluttered with leaves and dust. Kagome leaned across and blew the litter off, feeling, as she did the coil of hair around her wrist loosen and softly slump down onto the back of her hand.

Early in the night Kagome had wound the cut hair around her wrist over itself multiple times like a thick bangle, securing it with her one hair tie stretched diagonally over it. Apart from the occasional bout of tired glowing when they encountered deep shadows the locks of hair had shown little sign of 'life' since Rinn had cast her spell.

Kagome poked it thoughtfully and then, pulling away the hairband, unwound the long strands from her wrist and straightened them over her lap. As she did so there was a slight tremble and a shimmer of youki gleamed along the length of the bedraggled locks. A faint scent of ozone and acid rose from her lap. Kagome ran a finger over the ragged lengths of hair.

There was no way she was going to be able to sleep. Instead she tidied and turned the hairs, evening all the cut ends together at one end. Using the hair-tie she bound it into a ponytail, combing the hair tidily into a single long lock with her fingers. Beside her Rinn stirred and mumbled uneasily in her sleep. Kagome wriggled over a little to rest her hip against the child, to let her know, through touch, that she wasn't alone.

This done, almost absently, Kagome clamped the bound end taut with her knees, split the hair into four parts and began to plait, humming as she did a lullaby for Rinn. As Kagome worked her way down the braid, smoothing individual short and rough hairs into the middle of the plait, her hum became a silly little invent-as-you-go song, of the sort her mother had sung to Sota and herself when they were fractious, overtired and very young. Rinn snuggled closer, sighed and stilled. In her hands the braid seemed to absorb the moonlight and regain lustre.

When Kagome neared the bottom of the braid she slowed in her work realising she'd no more hair-ties. Casting about for a cord she realised that the red ribbon from her old sailor top was still at her throat. A foolish anachronism but one she'd still not had the heart to give up. As it was too large a ribbon to simply secure the end of the plait, Kagome braided it into the hair securing it at the end. In her hands Sesshoumaru's lost hair now lay like a fat glossy white snake with a small bow on it's tail.

Despite herself she smiled and ran a finger over the soft lumps of the braid. The hair suddenly shuddered and reared up. Kagome would have dropped it altogether had the braid not already weakly coiled around her wrist again like arthritic albino python. The instinct to fling the unnatural thing away from her was checked by the realisation that the plait was shivering. A tiny, desperate tremble as it wound around her forearm, over her pulse, as though seeking warmth and comfort. The smell of acid had faded altogether though that of ozone remained, though faint, and joined by something like Hinoki - Japanese cypress.

Kagome cautiously brushed her free hand against the braid of hair and was startled by it's... 

Kagome could think of no other word for it's action: the braid end _nuzzled_ at her palm. Faceless, mouthless, soundlessly it pressed against her hand, the scent of hinoki becoming richer.

Tentatively and wary of consequence, lower lip held between her teeth, Kagome concentrated and mentally trickled some reiki onto the palm of her free hand, the hand the hair-snake was pressed against.

It seemed to bristle slightly, made a small jerk like a hicccup and then hesitantly, like a kitten suckling from a milk soaked rag, she could feel the bundle of hair cautiously absorb the energy from her palm. The smell of hinoki faded and was replaced with something closer to salt. Like sea-foam or the steam from miso soup. A small contented, happy smell.

Kagome stared at her hand and watched in bemused consternation. After a few minutes the plait stopped... well was it nursing?... on her reiki.

Somehow it made an actual soft satisfied noise and then turned away from her palm to twist over and under itself around her wrist like a python on a branch, anchored by it's beribboned 'tail'. Kagome cautiously turned her hand two and fro, looking at the thing on her wrist. There was no malice coming from it at all. It seemed totally content It somehow seemed slightly fatter - like a baby animal full of milk. There was a soft vibration against her wrist and the braid moved slightly, tightened around her wrist, as a sleeping dog would grumble as it shifted in it's sleep.

Hunching in and tucking both her braid wrapped arm and the other in close Kagome found herself dozing off. The bundle of hair seemed to emit an additional warmth that helped her drift into sleep.

~o0o~


	4. Chapter 4

**Disclaimer :** See prior chapters until I think of a clever thing to say here.

******~Chapter 4~**

Kagome woke from sleep with a sudden jolt. Rinn was gone from beside her!

She started to jump to her feet and cracked her skull on the stone ceiling of the shrine. During the night the braid of Sesshoumaru's hair had migrated up from the arm resting in her lap to drape loosely around her neck. At Kagome's jerking movements the hair begin to slide from her shoulder and it tightened around her neck, snakelike, to prevent from falling.

Panic flashing in Kagome's eyes and her hands flew to her throat, scrabbling instinctively at the threat of being choked. The braid tightened fractionally and resisted her attempts to tug it free but went no further than being *very* snug.

At this point Rinn came rustling back through the undergrowth, holding the bagging front of Kagome’s jumper she wore up like a skirt to carry something. Kagome, realising her unusual scarf wasn't tightening any further gave up on trying to remove it.

"Kagome-san! I found us some breakfast and… oh! You tidied Sesshoumaru's hair. The ribbon is very pretty!" The child held up her findings for Kagome's approval.

"I found us lots of food - bamboo shoots, mushrooms and even fruit!"

Kagome rose again, dusting off her rump and picking the two largest and juiciest pieces from Rin's collection she placed them before the Jizo and on the stone alter of the shrine. Clapping and bowing to them both Kagome twinkled "For sharing their protection all last night," to Rinn.

She then took a piece of bamboo shoot for herself saying "Itadakimasu" in a sing-song voice and sat again, patting the stone she sat of for Rinn to sit beside her.

Rinn cocked her head bemused. "What does that mean Kagome-nee-san?"

"Itadakimasu?" Kagome looked at Rinn surprised. The rote phrase was something she had always taken as a given necessity before a meal. She then remembered that the child was not only a feudal era orphan but also that she had recently been under the care of a non-human and could hardly be expected to know the niceties of society.

"It means thank you," Kagome explained. "Thank you to the plants for growing and the people who pick them. To whoever made the meal and prepared it and served it too. It's a thank you to everyone who was involved in what you are lucky to have. And, my Mama says, a thank you for the company of people sharing the food with you."

Rinn laughed delightedly, smacking her hands together with loud enthusiasm and practically shouting her own "Itadakimasu!" at Kagome, the jizo and the forest.

As they picked and nibbled through the small foodstuffs the braid on Kagome's shoulder loosened and inched down her arm to investigate what she held in her hand. It happened to be a mushroom. The hair recoiled uninterested, doing the same when offered a small bit of bamboo and a piece of fruit. Rinn was enchanted by it and kept trying to find other things to offer it. A flower, a leaf of clover, a acorn and a pebble. The hair remained unimpressed. The mournful scent of hinoki arose again and Kagome found herself smiling at the recognition of the odour.

"I think it's hungry."

"Eh? But it had no mouth. What can it eat?"

"I think… watch" Kagome called up reiki in her free hand, enough that pink flickered around her fingertips in candy-pink coloured flames. The white braid reared up on the opposing wrist and the smell of Hinoki became so strong that Rinn sneezed violently. The child giggled and covered her nose with steepled fingers.

"I think it eats magic energy," Kagome said, offering her fiery palm to the braid. Her words were demonstrated by the way the flames seemed to suck into then end of the hair as it eagerly bumped against her hand.

The flames flickered and vanished, leaving Kagome's palm cold and her fingers tingling from the speed with which her reiki had been drawn out. The smell of cypress faded rapidly and was replaced with that of miso soup again. Rinn snuffed enthusiastically. Kagome smiled at her and the braid made a little hiccup noise and drooped away, moving sluggishly back to coil around her neck. It gave a little shiver and then seemed to stretched before resettling itself.

"May Rinn hold Sesshoumaru's hair?" The child asked, brushing her hands clean on the sleeves of the jumper she wore

"I don't see why not… if it'll let me unwind it," Kagome said as she attempted, for the second time that morning to remove Sesshoumaru's obstinate hair from her throat.

This time the braid allowed itself to be drawn away from her neck, draping loosely in her hands. In fact there seemed to be rather more of it than there had been the night before. Kagome looped the hair into Rinn’s waiting hands scrutinising the glossy white braid. It had been a metre or so in length when Rinn had collected the previous night and had shortened down to something close to her arm length when Kagome had braided it the night before. However overnight the braid had doubled in length. It had also gaining thickness.

Before their eyes a ripple ran from hairband to ribbon and the braid… fattened. It had been some two inches in diameter the previous day. Now the braid was almost thicker than her wrist. Kagome was staring blankly at the braid wondering if it would stop growing and how big it would get when Rinn brought her out of her contemplations.

"You should call her "Himegami-chan*" Rin piped running her fingers over the soft white hairs.

Kagome looked down at the braid wryly and poked the ribboned 'tail' with a finger. "I think since Sesshoumaru-sama is a boy his hair probably is a boy too Rinn. Probably… How about… Itoko-kun*. It's almost an Otoko after all."

This delighted Rinn, the newly named Itoko didn't respond more than to coil it's beribboned 'tail' lazily but firmly around Kagome's wrist. Rinn, evidently, was allowed to play with it but it evidently intended to return to Kagome.

As it was they only sat long enough to finish eating before Rinn resolutely bundled Itoko back into Kagome's hands stating that it was more than time that they leave and find Sesshoumaru.

Resignedly Kagome looped Itoko-kun around her neck and followed after Rinn’s determined trot.

 

~o0o~

 

*Hime Gami 姫髪 is "Princess hair". -chan, as most of you know is a female diminutive name suffix.

*Ito-ko 糸子 uses the kanji for thread and child and is one letter off Otoko 男- meaning "boy". However -ko ending names in this day and age generally indicate a girls name. It's a plait of hair and so hasn't any real gender and kun is a diminutive male name suffix for those that haven't watched much japanese media yet.

 

Chapter 4:   
Chapter 4:


	5. Chapter 5

 

 **Disclaimer :** All characters belong to their creators. One day I shall get around to drawing Itoko.

**~ Chapter 5 ~**

Safely back on solid ground Kagome allowed herself to sink to the ground.

She set her back to the boulder that had helped Itoko haul her back up the slope. Rinn still stood, pale faced, holding the majority of Itoko in her arms, her eyes wide and fixed on the crimson rivulets that were now dripping from Kagome's left elbow. Itoko’s tail remained firmly bound around Kagome's right wrist unwilling to let her go again.

For a moment she closed her eyes and breathed a gratitude for her strange little group's safety.

 

~o0o~

The direction sense that had been cast by Rinn's spell had continued to direct their steps Eastward. They had been picking their way through a boulder strewn slope, following a goat track that showed signs of recent use and the ground had become increasingly steep. For some way, where the path was little more than a ledge along a sharp slope they went in single file, Kagome insisting that Rinn hold one end of Itoko as a safety rope. The path had begun to widen and Kagome was about to offer to take the full weight of the braid again when the ground crumbled away beneath her feet, leaving her with no purchase and no where to go but down.

Itoko, equally startled, was pulled free by Rinn’s grip on it's beribboned end. The child would have followed Kagome, as the path continued to crumble, had the braid not snapped out, wedging it's broader end in a cleft between two boulders. As Itoko did so it looped it's 'tail' fully around Rin's torso, heaving her backward onto her rump and sound earth.

Kagome slid only a short way down the skree but had the misfortune of richochetting off a sharp edged boulder before managing to get her feet properly under her and halt her fall.

Behind her, up the slope, a dark trail of freshly disturbed earth marked her passage. As Kagome looked up to reassure Rinn of her safety she saw the silver, snakey form of Itoko writhing down the slope, red ribbon questing for her awkwardly. He stretched thinner and thinner, trying to reach until his thickness was barely that of her thumb. Far above she could make out Rinn's pale face watching over the edge.

"Well lets not do that again shall we?!" Kagome laughed up at Rinn, her voice trembling slightly, trying to play down her fright. "I'll be up in a moment Rinn-chan. Stay back from the edge. OK?"

The girl’s "Un!" of agreement was barely audible but the face disappeared from sight.

Kagome briefly inspected herself for injury. Though grazed about on her exposed skin the worst she had sustained was a shallow but long cut to her forearm. It gaped at her pinkly then began to seep blood. Her sleeve, already partially torn from the fall, she tugged off, breaking the last of the stitches, and pressed it to the cut, wishing the fabric were cleaner. Itoko had finally gotten within reach. The braid stank of peppermint oil. Kagome sneezed.

"It's Ok Ito-kun. It's all Ok." Kagome reached out cautious of the loose soil she rested on and patted the ribboned end with her sound arm. The braid snaked around her wrist and gripped firmly. The aroma remained minty but with undertones of incense, bruised tomato leaf and bancha tea. Somehow each scent clearly independent of each other. Itoko was trembling slightly.

"I scared you didn't I. I'm sorry Ito-kun. We were all scared but it's ok now. Lets get me back up to Rinn now. I'm going to need your help though..."

Kagome kept her cut arm tucked against her body, holding the sleeve-bandage in place through contact. Her free hand gripped Itoko as firmly as he encircled her wrist and she cautiously picked her way up the loose scree, several times nearly slipping again before reaching safety and Rinn.

 

~o0o~

 

Rinn had begun to shiver, standing aloof, and Kagome held out her uninjured arm to offer an embrace.

"It's Ok Rinn-chan. It's all Ok." The child threw herself into Kagome's lap, burrowing her head into the and Kagome patted her back awkwardly, the loop of braided hair swinging heavily from her wrist like a silken manacle. "Look Rinn - I'm going to need your help with my arm - it's not bad, it's just a bit bleedy..."

The adrenaline beginning to drain from her system Kagome's arm began to throb. She could feel herself pale as she glanced at the cut. It wasn’t at very bad, She'd seen far worse. It just, generally, hadn't happened to *her*. She cudgelled her brain for a bandage other than her other, filthy sleeve. Both Rinn’s and her own clothing were NOT hygienic by any twist of the imagination. Her eyes fell on the bright ribbon on the end of Ito's tail. The only 'bandage' she had had. Then her gaze slid sideways to the pristine white, dense body of the braid.

"Kagome-nee-san…" Rinn’s voice was distraught and Kagome looked down noting that blood was now dripping from the sodden cloth that the child was  attempting to press onto the wound.

"Hold the fabric tight for me a moment Rinn-chan. It'll be OK. It just looks scary. You're helping slow down the bleeding. It will stop soon.” She turned her attention to the demon-braid,

"I'm sorry Ito-kun. You're going to have to act as a bandage until I can find something better." Kagome grasped the braid by one end and gently pulled the hair tie off the other with her teeth, gingerly combing half the length out loose.

"You can let go now Rinn-chan". Kagome said as she closely wound the length of Itoko over the gash. The Youkai braid, realising Kagome was using it as a bandage, obligingly tightened on itself, snuggling flat into place.

"Gah! too tight!" The 'bandage' loosened gradually until Kagome relaxed, flexing her fingers. "That's much better! Thank you both Rinn-chan, Ito-kun : you are both very brave.” Kagome leant back against the boulder with a sigh and then heaved herself to her feet, braced a moment against dizziness.

"We'd better get cleaned up Rinn. Your hands and my arm are a mess."

Kagome noticed and followed Rinn’s distracted gaze to her upper arm. Despite the amount of blood that had soaked into her shirt sleeve the white hairs were still pristine. As she watched the ribboned end of itoko brushed against a bloodied splash on her arm and the red seemed to shrivel up then fluttered off in little dried flakes. Kagome could feel a faint, ever so faint hum of youki against her skin. Her wound now prickled as well at throbbing but not unpleasantly.

"I guess Ito-kun stays clean the way Sesshoumaru seems to... But you and I better find a stream."

Rinn let out a huge breath and hugged Kagome, finally convinced, it seemed, that the older girl really was alright. "Rinn will go up to the hill and see if she can see one!" she chirped, trotting ahead, keeping well away from the edge of the path, even as the ground became wider again. Kagome followed her, slower, trying to convince Itoko, with little success, to release her uninjured wrist now that he was anchored to her other arm.

The sudden lack of movement and sound from Rinn drew Kagome's attention.

The young girl had frozen like a deer at the crest of the hill. A frightened little noise keened from her throat.

"Kagome-nee-san..."

The words were soft but the distress palpable. Kagome lurched forward to see what the child was staring at. Beyond the crest of the hill, in the small glade below, boulders were cracked and fragmented as though by a wrecking ball. Here and there scorches blackened the turf and the boulders. A scaly brown shape was wedged awkwardly in a lee between two big boulders. It was this that Rinn stared.

“Ah? Un?” The girl's voice was all but inaudible.

~o0o~


	6. Chapter 6

It never rains but it pours, hair and earthslides and two-headed dragons it seems. Kagome thought wryly, looping Itoko’s middle length around her neck out of the way several times as she picked her way down through the boulder field, hoping that the scaly creature was neither hurt nor angry. 

It turned out to be unconscious.

Rinn was frantically patting the face of one and then the other creature, chirping at them to wake up. The creature remained inert, awkwardly twisted and lying on it’s knees between the boulders. The creatures two necks and heads rested limply on the ground. Kagome circled the broken stones and noted that the animal was trapped by the ornate saddle and harness which had been pinched between the falling rocks. There were raw rub-marks around the girth and grazes on it’s legs where it had kicked at the stones while trying to free itself. One of the pack-saddles was caught beneath it’s twisted bulk, while the other was skywards. The girth was held in place by a broad embroidered strap with a solid iron buckle and several ornately knotted cords. She would only be able to reach it if she actually climbed up onto the animal. Kagome weighted up other options but came away empty handed.  
“Rinn-chan - I’m going to try and get the saddle off so he can get out. I’m going to have to stand on him for a little bit to do this. Can you keep talking to him so he won’t be too started and try to fight me. If he wakes up he may not be happy about it.” Kagome said, clambering up the stone above the dragon-horse.   
Rinn called an agreement and with some effort pulled one of the two heads closer to the other so she could pat both at the same time.   
Seeing that she wasn’t likely to get a better opportunity Kagome gingerly climbed down to perch on the creature’s broad shoulder. She managed to get the knots undone without too much trouble and was eyeing the large buckle when there was a grumbling sound and vibration beneath her feet. Kagome froze and Itoko stiffened around her wrists. Glancing down to the creature’s heads she saw a bright yellow eye had half opened and glaring up at her.  
“Rinn-chan?!” Kagome’s voice squeaked a little and Rinn clapped happily at the sight, drawing the attention of the eye. “Good Morning Un! That is Kagome, she is getting you free. Ah is still sleeping but when he wakes up you can both make us a fire and we can find mushrooms and…” The creature moaned and Rinn patted it’s face again.  
“Rinn-chan… am I going to regret it if I suggest you take the muzzles off Ah and Un? It doesn’t look very comfortable to be lying on the ground wearing them…” The dragon-horse’s eye rolled back up to her and it’s ear flicked back and forth in a gesture Kagome read as surprise and confusion.  
“The muzzles stop Ah and Un from breathing fire.” Rinn replied  
“Can they not breath fire when the muzzles are off?”  
Rinn looked at Un. “Can you?” The animal’s ears flicked back to her nonchalantly.   
“Is that a yes?” Kagome asked. “Do they understand Japanese?”  
“Of course they do. They just don’t speak it.”   
The dragon-horse huffed a great, one-sided breath and Kagome grabbed at the boulder beside her to steady herself. “How about you take off Un’s muzzle now and when Ah wakes up, if he’s in as an understanding a mood, you take his off too. We don’t want him waking up and setting anything of fire by mistake.”   
The yellow eye rolled back to scrutinise her appraisingly as Rinn carefully unbuckled the filigree basket that covered the animal’s muzzle and worked it out from under it’s head. The animal snorted, champed it’s teeth and licked it’s snout before chuffing a very small puff of smoke.  
Meanwhile Kagome tried to loosen the strap enough to free it. The woven band was thick and inflexible, pulled tight by the weight of the animal. Her fingers smarting from attempting to pull the wretched thing free of the metal tongue. As she continued to struggle with the strap Rinn called out:  
“Kagome-nee-san Jaken-sama kept a knife in the bag near you. Would that help?”  
“Definitely! Please excuse me Uh-san.” Kagome knelt and crawled across the animal’s side, opening the saddle bag and riffling through the contents until her hand closed around a wakazachi. She tucked it under her chin and crawled back to the girth. She looked at the strap and briefly thought about trying to cut it across the buckle. Visions of accidentally slipping, gore and an extremely angry dragon-horse slithered across her mind. Beneath her the animal tensed up as if reading her thoughts. Kagome paused and saw that Ah had begun to wake up. She waited, perched kneeling on it’s shoulder, while Rinn reassured the second head with lots of pats and removed of the second muzzle.  
This isn’t a stupid animal. Kagome thought, Rinn’s not treating it like it won’t know what’s going on so I probably shouldn’t either. She felt the weight of Itoko draped across her nape. It’s not like I’ve not been talking rationally to animate inanimate things recently.  
“Ah-san, Un-san: I’m going to cut this strap close to the belt hole - near enough that you should be able to break free on your own but without risking it snapping suddenly while I have the knife near your side and my fingers. I will then climb out of the way and let you both know when I am done so please remain still for the moment.” There was a soft huff from Un and a grumble accompanied by a small puff of smoke from Ah. Kagome took that as permission granted and carefully slit between all of the free holes and then, slowly, up towards the one that contained the belt tongue. She stopped leaving a few milimetres of straining material and resheathing the blade, tying it into it’s sheath firmly with the attached cord and tucked it into the front of her shirt. She then clambered onto the bordering boulder and called down to the dragon-horse: “Rinn: step back out of the way please. Ah-san, Un-san: Take in a deep breath together and push out your ribs for all you are worth.”  
The creature did as suggested and there was a satisfying ripping sound as the last section of the strap gave and the girth slithered free.   
The dragon-horse sagged heavier on it’s knees for a moment and then twisted sideways onto it’s shoulder and wriggled out from under the harness and stones. It lay on the gravel strewn sward for a few moments, sides heaving before dragging it’s legs under it and slowly standing up.   
“I think that is much better!” Rinn chirped. “Is it much better Ah? Un?”   
The dragon-horse bobbed it’s heads and then shook itself weakly, shedding broken scales, dirt and hairs from its mane. Kagome noted it resisted putting weight on one of it’s hind legs, the one that had been trapped underneath it. Hopefully it had just gone to sleep from resting so long in such an awkward position. The creature didn’t seem particularly distressed and appeared to be intent on checking Rinn over for injuries which she bore with only a few giggles.  
The saddle had become unwedged as the dragon-horse had freed itself and Kagome dragged it out into the open with some effort.  
“I hope Sesshoumaru-sama isn’t too cross about me destroying the strap - I don’t think you’ll be able to wear this until it’s fixed and I can’t lift it let alone carry it. We could stash it in under somewhere here were it will stay dry and come back for it when we find the taiyoukai… I could probably manage one of the saddlebags but not both…” Kagome prodded the saddle and its packs uncomfortable with abandoning or rootling through someone else’s property.  
“Ah! Kagome-nee-san! There is cloth strips in the bag where your knife was - so Itoko-kun doesn’t need to pretend to be a bandage anymore.” Rinn said, clapping her hands. The child all but wriggled head first into the pack and then out again, holding out handfuls of folded clean fabric bandages.   
Kagome tried to work a finger under the end of Itoko’s braided end to encourage him to loosten  
The braid tightened fractionally and refused to budge. There was a stubborn odour of lemongrass and bancha tea accompanied by a tremble through the hair that felt like an inaudible growl. Kagome sighed and poked at the wound through the silvery white strands. It didn’t feel inflamed or particularly sore so she decided to leave it be.  
“I think Itoko-kun is fine where he is for the moment. How about we check Ah-san and Un-san for injury.” Kagome suggested, noting that they were now putting weight evenly on all four legs - not a serious injury then thankfully. The dragon-horse had moments before ceased to confer together and were now both staring at the braid wrapped around her forearm. Un chuffed uncertainly and Ah champed small smoke rings, their hide twitching nervously..  
  
The dragon-horse’s heads glanced at each other, then at Kagome and then returned to staring fixedly at the braid. Itoko quivered as though affronted and there was a waft of pinocleen and fruit-bun spices any time their gaze slithered towards him or Kagome. The dragon-horse lowered their ears, glances away as if embarrassed but kept looking back as if unable to do otherwise.   
“That is Itoko-kun,” Rinn chirped when the dragon-horse’s ears flicked towards her for more information, “Sesshoumaru-sama’s hair. It was helping us find Sesshoumaru-sama and then it woke up when Kagome-nee-san was carrying him.” Rinn turned to Kagome, “Can they say hello Kagome-nee-san?”   
The beast sidled up and Ah tentatively stuck out a muzzle. Itoko bristled briefly and stank of pinocleen and celery.  
Kagome brushed a few soft strokes along Itoko kun’s braided tail and he seemed to relax under the ministration. “Do you want to say hullo?” Kagome asked shifting Itoko a little closer to the dragon’s heads. The end of the braid wriggled uncertainly and then tried to burrow under her arm like a shy child.   
“Ah and Un are very gentle” Rinn said soothingly as Kagome carefully extricated the braid from the crook of her elbow. Itoko wrapped his beribboned ‘tail’ twice firmly around her wrist relaxed the rest of his length not binding her forearm, indicating it was willing if still reluctant. There was a faint whiff of celery, peppermint and old carpet.   
Ah and Un took turns to courteously snuffle at Itoko, both appeared fascinated. Uh appeared to have sniffed too hard for he turned and politely sneezed with a suppressed squeak.  
“Does Itoko-kun smell very different from when he was still part of Sesshoumaru-sama?” Rinn asked. The two heads nodded distinct agreement in counterpoint - one up while the other was down.  
“How?”  
“Rinn -“ Kagome broke in before there was any chance of game of charades getting underway, “Interesting as it is - we really ought to get moving and find a better place to camp before we lose the light.”

With the dragon-horse’s tacit permission Kagome riffled through the pack saddles and found a few edible items, more strips of fabric, several small lacquered document and seal cases she didn’t dare open nor leave behind, a number of wrapping cloths* and, mercifully, a Rinn-sized thick quilted jacket. She bundled everything that she could carry that seemed important or useful into the saddle blanket, bundled Rinn into the jacket and then, with Ah and Un’s help wedged the saddle back into the lee of the rocks where the worst of the weather wouldn’t reach it.   
All the while, below her breastbone the directional sense set by Rinn’s stick-spell continued to tug her eastwards. With the saddle stashed she gave in to it, took Rinn’s hand, rearranged Itoko across her shoulders, tucked the bundle under her free arm and headed off again. There was no question if Ah and Un would come along. They moved stiffly but swiftly alongside the two girls, watching Kagome for prompts as to their direction.

They made camp near sunset several hours’ walk beyond the boulder field, where the ground was stable, the terrain blocked the wind and Rinn had the good fortune to find a dense growth of mountain yams. With Ah and Un’s assistance they got a fire going using dried heathery plants and roasted the tubers on sticks, burning their fingers and tongues in their haste to eat. Both of the girls ended up sitting against Ah Un’s scaly side, sharing it’s warmth and staring tiredly into the flames. Itoko had relaxed enough after his evening reiki-dinner to let Kagome unwind him from her forearm to check her wound. The gash was clean and looked healthy, covered by a narrow flat scab. She recovered it with one of cloth bandages and then combed her fingers through the soft loose half of Itoko. The strands had remained amazingly clean and she could feel him preen beneath her fingers as she replaited him, refastening the braid with the hair-tie she had carried on her wrist. Itoko immediately wrapped that part of himself over the bandaged injury again, and then over himself several times like a tree python and refuses to budge for the rest of the evening.

~o0o~

*Furoshiki- 風呂敷(ふろしき) Wrapping cloths were and still are commonly used to carry small items in Japan - there are many gorgeous designs out there and they provide a great altenative to disposable packaging.

et out. I’m going to have to stand on him for a little bit to do this. Can you keep talking to him so he won’t be too started and try to fight me. If he wakes up he may not be happy about it.” Kagome said, clambering up the stone above the dragon-horse. Rinn called an agreement and with some effort pulled one of the two heads closer to the other so she could pat both at the same time. Seeing that she wasn’t likely to get a better opportunity Kagome gingerly climbed down to perch on the creature’s broad shoulder. She managed to get the knots undone without too much trouble and was eyeing the large buckle when there was a grumbling sound and vibration beneath her feet. Kagome froze and Itoko stiffened around her wrists. Glancing down to the creature’s heads she saw a bright yellow eye had half opened and glaring up at her. “Rinn-chan?!” Kagome’s voice squeaked a little and Rinn clapped happily at the sight, drawing the attention of the eye. “Good Morning Un! That is Kagome, she is getting you free. Ah is still sleeping but when he wakes up you can both make us a fire and we can find mushrooms and…” The creature moaned and Rinn patted it’s face again. “Rinn-chan… am I going to regret it if I suggest you take the muzzles off Ah and Un? It doesn’t look very comfortable to be lying on the ground wearing them…” The dragon-horse’s eye rolled back up to her and it’s ear flicked back and forth in a gesture Kagome read as surprise and confusion. “The muzzles stop Ah and Un from breathing fire.” Rinn replied “Can they not breath fire when the muzzles are off?” Rinn looked at Un. “Can you?” The animal’s ears flicked back to her nonchalantly. “Is that a yes?” Kagome asked. “Do they understand Japanese?” “Of course they do. They just don’t speak it.” The dragon-horse huffed a great, one-sided breath and Kagome grabbed at the boulder beside her to steady herself. “How about you take off Un’s muzzle now and when Ah wakes up, if he’s in as an understanding a mood, you take his off too. We don’t want him waking up and setting anything of fire by mistake.” The yellow eye rolled back to scrutinise her appraisingly as Rinn carefully unbuckled the filigree basket that covered the animal’s muzzle and worked it out from under it’s head. The animal snorted, champed it’s teeth and licked it’s snout before chuffing a very small puff of smoke. Meanwhile Kagome tried to loosen the strap enough to free it. The woven band was thick and inflexible, pulled tight by the weight of the animal. Her fingers smarting from attempting to pull the wretched thing free of the metal tongue. As she continued to struggle with the strap Rinn called out: “Kagome-nee-san Jaken-sama kept a knife in the bag near you. Would that help?” “Definitely! Please excuse me Uh-san.” Kagome knelt and crawled across the animal’s side, opening the saddle bag and riffling through the contents until her hand closed around a wakazachi. She tucked it under her chin and crawled back to the girth. She looked at the strap and briefly thought about trying to cut it across the buckle. Visions of accidentally slipping, gore and an extremely angry dragon-horse slithered across her mind. Beneath her the animal tensed up as if reading her thoughts. Kagome paused and saw that Ah had begun to wake up. She waited, perched kneeling on it’s shoulder, while Rinn reassured the second head with lots of pats and removed of the second muzzle. This isn’t a stupid animal. Kagome thought, Rinn’s not treating it like it won’t know what’s going on so I probably shouldn’t either. She felt the weight of Itoko draped across her nape. It’s not like I’ve not been talking rationally to animate inanimate things recently. “Ah-san, Un-san: I’m going to cut this strap close to the belt hole - near enough that you should be able to break free on your own but without risking it snapping suddenly while I have the knife near your side and my fingers. I will then climb out of the way and let you both know when I am done so please remain still for the moment.” There was a soft huff from Un and a grumble accompanied by a small puff of smoke from Ah. Kagome took that as permission granted and carefully slit between all of the free holes and then, slowly, up towards the one that contained the belt tongue. She stopped leaving a few milimetres of straining material and resheathing the blade, tying it into it’s sheath firmly with the attached cord and tucked it into the front of her shirt. She then clambered onto the bordering boulder and called down to the dragon-horse: “Rinn: step back out of the way please. Ah-san, Un-san: Take in a deep breath together and push out your ribs for all you are worth.” The creature did as suggested and there was a satisfying ripping sound as the last section of the strap gave and the girth slithered free. The dragon-horse sagged heavier on it’s knees for a moment and then twisted sideways onto it’s shoulder and wriggled out from under the harness and stones. It lay on the gravel strewn sward for a few moments, sides heaving before dragging it’s legs under it and slowly standing up. “I think that is much better!” Rinn chirped. “Is it much better Ah? Un?” The dragon-horse bobbed it’s heads and then shook itself weakly, shedding broken scales, dirt and hairs from its mane. Kagome noted it resisted putting weight on one of it’s hind legs, the one that had been trapped underneath it. Hopefully it had just gone to sleep from resting so long in such an awkward position. The creature didn’t seem particularly distressed and appeared to be intent on checking Rinn over for injuries which she bore with only a few giggles. The saddle had become unwedged as the dragon-horse had freed itself and Kagome dragged it out into the open with some effort. “I hope Sesshoumaru-sama isn’t too cross about me destroying the strap - I don’t think you’ll be able to wear this until it’s fixed and I can’t lift it let alone carry it. We could stash it in under somewhere here were it will stay dry and come back for it when we find the taiyoukai… I could probably manage one of the saddlebags but not both…” Kagome prodded the saddle and its packs uncomfortable with abandoning or rootling through someone else’s property. “Ah! Kagome-nee-san! There is cloth strips in the bag where your knife was - so Itoko-kun doesn’t need to pretend to be a bandage anymore.” Rinn said, clapping her hands. The child all but wriggled head first into the pack and then out again, holding out handfuls of folded clean fabric bandages. Kagome tried to work a finger under the end of Itoko’s braided end to encourage him to loosten The braid tightened fractionally and refused to budge. There was a stubborn odour of lemongrass and bancha tea accompanied by a tremble through the hair that felt like an inaudible growl. Kagome sighed and poked at the wound through the silvery white strands. It didn’t feel inflamed or particularly sore so she decided to leave it be. “I think Itoko-kun is fine where he is for the moment. How about we check Ah-san and Un-san for injury.” Kagome suggested, noting that they were now putting weight evenly on all four legs - not a serious injury then thankfully. The dragon-horse had moments before ceased to confer together and were now both staring at the braid wrapped around her forearm. Un chuffed uncertainly and Ah champed small smoke rings, their hide twitching nervously.. The dragon-horse’s heads glanced at each other, then at Kagome and then returned to staring fixedly at the braid. Itoko quivered as though affronted and there was a waft of pinocleen and fruit-bun spices any time their gaze slithered towards him or Kagome. The dragon-horse lowered their ears, glances away as if embarrassed but kept looking back as if unable to do otherwise. “That is Itoko-kun,” Rinn chirped when the dragon-horse’s ears flicked towards her for more information, “Sesshoumaru-sama’s hair. It was helping us find Sesshoumaru-sama and then it woke up when Kagome-nee-san was carrying him.” Rinn turned to Kagome, “Can they say hello Kagome-nee-san?” The beast sidled up and Ah tentatively stuck out a muzzle. Itoko bristled briefly and stank of pinocleen and celery. Kagome brushed a few soft strokes along Itoko kun’s braided tail and he seemed to relax under the ministration. “Do you want to say hullo?” Kagome asked shifting Itoko a little closer to the dragon’s heads. The end of the braid wriggled uncertainly and then tried to burrow under her arm like a shy child. “Ah and Un are very gentle” Rinn said soothingly as Kagome carefully extricated the braid from the crook of her elbow. Itoko wrapped his beribboned ‘tail’ twice firmly around her wrist relaxed the rest of his length not binding her forearm, indicating it was willing if still reluctant. There was a faint whiff of celery, peppermint and old carpet. Ah and Un took turns to courteously snuffle at Itoko, both appeared fascinated. Uh appeared to have sniffed too hard for he turned and politely sneezed with a suppressed squeak. “Does Itoko-kun smell very different from when he was still part of Sesshoumaru-sama?” Rinn asked. The two heads nodded distinct agreement in counterpoint - one up while the other was down. “How?” “Rinn -“ Kagome broke in before there was any chance of game of charades getting underway, “Interesting as it is - we really ought to get moving and find a better place to camp before we lose the light.” With the dragon-horse’s tacit permission Kagome riffled through the pack saddles and found a few edible items, more strips of fabric, several small lacquered document and seal cases she didn’t dare open nor leave behind, a number of wrapping cloths* and, mercifully, a Rinn-sized thick quilted jacket. She bundled everything that she could carry that seemed important or useful into the saddle blanket, bundled Rinn into the jacket and then, with Ah and Un’s help wedged the saddle back into the lee of the rocks where the worst of the weather wouldn’t reach it. All the while, below her breastbone the directional sense set by Rinn’s stick-spell continued to tug her eastwards. With the saddle stashed she gave in to it, took Rinn’s hand, rearranged Itoko across her shoulders, tucked the bundle under her free arm and headed off again. There was no question if Ah and Un would come along. They moved stiffly but swiftly alongside the two girls, watching Kagome for prompts as to their direction. They made camp near sunset several hours’ walk beyond the boulder field, where the ground was stable, the terrain blocked the wind and Rinn had the good fortune to find a dense growth of mountain yams. With Ah and Un’s assistance they got a fire going using dried heathery plants and roasted the tubers on sticks, burning their fingers and tongues in their haste to eat. Both of the girls ended up sitting against Ah Un’s scaly side, sharing it’s warmth and staring tiredly into the flames. Itoko had relaxed enough after his evening reiki-dinner to let Kagome unwind him from her forearm to check her wound. The gash was clean and looked healthy, covered by a narrow flat scab. She recovered it with one of cloth bandages and then combed her fingers through the soft loose half of Itoko. The strands had remained amazingly clean and she could feel him preen beneath her fingers as she replaited him, refastening the braid with the hair-tie she had carried on her wrist. Itoko immediately wrapped that part of himself over the bandaged injury again, and then over himself several times like a tree python and refuses to budge for the rest of the evening. ~o0o~ *Furoshiki- 風呂敷(ふろしき) Wrapping cloths were and still are commonly used to carry small items in Japan - there are many gorgeous designs out there and they provide a great altenative to disposable packaging.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Am still not entirely happy with this but I want to get it rolling on again.


	7. Chapter 7

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Authors Note: Maaaaan! I wrote the epilogue to this thing last night. I now know how it ends.   
> It's "just" a case of crafting the filigree bridge between here and there - I think there’s another five to six chapters and we are there. I self-sabotaged last year by accidentally deleting a later portion of the story I was really really happy with. I’ve been waiting for it to magically turn up *somewhere* on one of my computers instead of attempting to rewrite it from memory or scratch. See how well that worked :P So I’m going to rewrite it - hopefully it will turn out much better than it was.

Their direction took them gradually uphill again, skirting along the lower edges of mountainous ranges, a little ways above the forested tree lines. The area alternated in patches of bright green turf and bare, grey ground where past small landslips had shrugged the vegetation away, creating broad ledges like a stairway for giants. Where there was turf the vegetation was cropped back close by some alpine herbivore, Serow*? Kagome wondered. The occasional scattered fewmets were the only other sign of the animal’s presence in the area. Overhead an occasional small bird of prey wheeled looking for rodents and though the wind was fresh the sun was warm. It was a beautiful day, of the sort that could not seem to hold bad fortune or fear.  
Around mid morning, rounding a spur of the mountain, Kagome noted an anomaly - a small, rounded boulder sitting alone in the middle of a patch of turf. At first she thought it might be another stone Jizo, but as they drew gradually closer she realised that it was moving slighting - it wasn’t a stone or a statue but a small figure dressed in brown. What she had thought was moss was it’s skin.  
The creature was crouched in a tight hunched posture, clutching its head in one hand and rocking back and forth, the other arm was held close against its chest. Rin gave a sudden shriek of delight and flung herself forward at roughly the same time Ah and Un’s heads shot up and it took off at a lumbering stride leaving Kagome behind.  
“Jaken sama! Jaken! There you are! Jaaaa Keeeeen Samaaaaaa!”   
Ah Kagome thought, and then there were three. One to go. She followed slower down the slope hoping Rin wouldn’t trip and flatten the creature in her haste to reach him. She needn’t have worried. The dragon-horse easily outpaced Rin and slid into a showy stop beside the little youkai.  
Jaken had unfolded at Rinn’s shouting with a squawk and for a moment had looked like he would bolt; then he recognised who was approaching and had limped a few steps forward wailing ”Rinn! Oh! Dragon! Oh you survived!” in a thin reedy voice. Tears gushed from his bulbous eyes. As Ah and Un slid to a stop in front of him he pasted himself onto one of the dragon-horse’s front legs, holding on fiercely with one arm, the other still awkwardly held against his body as he rubbed his face against the scaley, slightly scabby knee.  
“Jaken Sama!” Rin shrieked and the youkai released his grip on Ah and Un to bury himself in her embrace, still weeping.  
“Rin you are alive! Sesshoumaru-sama will not kill me when he returns after all!”  
By this time Kagome had reached her travel companions. She was just about to open her mouth to comment on their fortune in finding him when Jaken noticed her and pushed Rin away fiercely, stooping to scoop up the broken length of wood that had been lying unnoticed by his feet. Swinging it erratically in one hand he stumbled forward, placing himself between Kagome and the other two.  
“”Back! Back human! Stay back!” He shrieked, eyes rolling as he looked around, as though expecting more enemies to come pouring across the meadow. Even as she skipped backwards out of range Kagome noted that his eyes weren’t tracking very well and he had gone three shades paler and had begun shaking. He was not well.  
On her shoulder Itoko ruffled and there was a scent of pino-cleen and peppermint. She put a hand over him to hold him in place even as Rin and Ah intervened.  
“No no Jaken-sama! Kagome-sama has been helping us! She is our friend!” Rin said, catching at his hands and the stick even as Ah dipped its head and hoisted the little imp up by the back of his jacket collar. Jaken let out a strangled yelp of pain, releasing his weapon and clutching for his other arm.  
Quickly taking in the obviously painful injury to his arm and the now noticeable abrasions to Jaken’s bald pate Kagome rapidly calculated how to disarm the situation. He was a courtier. Manners would get her further than demands or protestations of innocence.  
Dropping the saddlebag she rapidly took three steps backward, quickly knelt in a formal posture. Releasing Itoko with a shake to remind him to mind his behaviour she placing her fingertips on the grass before her she bowed over them as though welcoming an guest important guest to her family’s shrine.   
“Jaken-sama.” She paused and waited three breaths before she straightened a little and looked up from her fingers. As she had expected Ah had lowered the imp back to the ground and Jaken was staring at her with uncertainty. She bowed again.  
“Jaken-sama, I am Higurashi Kagome, I found Rin-chan four nights ago. She has asked my aid in reuniting her to Sesshoumaru-sama. We encountered Ah-san and Un-san yesterday and they have also agreed to seek him with us.” Her eyes widened as she remembered and she hastily dug into the pack, pulling out the cloth wrapped official document casings. Putting the package on the ground in front of her she unwrapped them and offered them to the imp. “Ah-san and Un-san implied that these were important. I hope I did not wrong in bringing them with us.”  
Jaken stared at her, and then down at the lacquered document cases. Behind him Rin looked down at the piece of wood in her hand realised what it was "Oh! Jaken Sama! Your special stick!"  
His mouth opened and closed a few times and then he sat down suddenly and began to silently cry again.  
~o0o~  
An hour later, having coaxed Jaken to let her look at his arm, broken but within her ability to splint, and his head - badly bruised but apparently sound, Kagome convinced the youkai to drink some water and Rin had found him a handful of pine nuts to eat.  
He was now seated on Ah Un’s broad back, blinking and squinting erratically. Jaken had sat staring blankly out across the vista as she had bandaged him up, clutching the document cases to his chest with his good arm with the two pieces of the Nintōjō resting on his lap. The head of the staff had been tucked into the front of his jacket. Once she’d done all she could for his injuries she had used more of the bandages to secure the somewhat battered carving back onto the end of the staff for him. It seemed to give him some comfort. He had allowed the document cases to be rewrapped and replace in the saddlebag which she carried for him.   
Remembering his past high-handedness Kagome had initially set out to placate him as much as possible. She had expected a second outburst in regards to who was in charge of the expedition now and had been braced to coax him into believing the direction they were taking and the plan to continue on while there was still daylight were all his own idea. Instead he had barely paid attention to her words and had offered no opinion. He had stared for long minutes at Itoko, who lay still, draped in two large loops around her neck like a rosary and then Jakenhad pointedly averted his eyes with a little full-body shudder. Despite this odd behaviour she continued to speak politely and with deference, expecting the proud little imp to snap out of his catatonia eventually. He acquiesced to being lifted onto Ah Un’s back without even a token protest.  
"Rin thinks Jaken-sama is very surprised.” The child had quietly shared as Kagome rearranged the saddle pack in readiness to set out again.  
Kagome wrinkled her nose and glanced up at the bandaged figure sitting dazedly on the back of the dragon-horse. "Surprised good or surprised bad?"  
Rin pursed her lips in thought. "Rin isn't sure. Jaken-sama is usually more…enthusiastic all the time”  
Kagome read this as 'passionately loud' based on her previous encounters with the imp. “Personally I think he’s more than a bit concussed.” A thought occurred to her, “We probably should make sure he stays awake Rin. Could you keep talking to him, just to make sure he’s OK and so there’s no chance he falls … Ah-san, Un-san - would you be willing to carry Rin for a bit as well? - I don’t think he should be left alone up there.”  
The dragon-horse snorted a chuff of smoke as if to say “Of course” and Ah tilted its head ready to start a shake that would undulate down its body to resettle it’s scales and mane but Un quickly nipped it, reminding it of their precariously balanced and unwitting existing rider.   
“Thank you both.” Kagome said and hoisted Rin up behind the imp. The rest of the day passed at a steady tramp with Rin providing an ongoing commentary to which Jaken occassionally gave monosyllabic responses and Kagome scouting for anything that looked edible to add to their dwindling supplies. At one point Ah yarped something and Rin scooped up Jaken, hastily sliding from the animals back. The dragon-horse returned proudly carrying a very small goat, only slightly singed by it’s breath. Kagome gutted it then and there. Despite the messiness it was agreed they would be wiser to keep moving, carry the entire thing with them to further prepare and cook later. Jaken was given the task of ensuring the carcass didn’t slide from where it was slung over Ah and Un’s shoulders which gave him something to focus on through the mist of his shock.  
In the evening, after a dinner of seared goat, all of them tucked in close together with no protest - Jaken on Rin’s lap, Rin on Kagome’s and Kagome tucked against Ah and Un’s barrel, Itoko around her neck and one or another of the dragon horse’s heads resting over her shoulder, napping while the other kept watch.  
The night was cold but the company warm.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I am basing the landscape on a quick google of the region around Mount Aino in Japan.  
> *Serow カモシカ　capricornis crispus 　a small goat-antelope native to Japan.


End file.
